Our Mission

Philosophy and Mission: Through its Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF), New Jersey will be the leader in providing access to higher education for its students from educationally and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. EOF will play a central role in increasing the diversity of students participating in post-secondary education and contribute to the preparation of citizens for entrance into the state's skilled workforce. EOF will develop partnerships with colleges and universities, K-12, pre-college, and community-based programs to strengthen the pipeline between each level of education in support of the transition to higher education. The Fund will support high-quality programs and educational experiences intended to assist students to persist to graduation and to prepare them with the knowledge, skills, abilities and values which are necessary to compete in both a regional and global multicultural workplace, graduate study, and other personal and civic endeavors.

The Educational Opportunity Fund of New Jersey provides support for educational initiatives, support services , and leadership development activities that assist students to improve their chances of success in specific majors and career fields and prepares them for the changing world of work and to assume leadership in their communities and the state.

The Mission of the EOP at Seton Hall UniversityIt is the mission of the Educational Opportunity Program at Seton Hall University to provide academic excellence, leadership initiatives, and international perspectives to prepare students from educationally and economically disadvantaged backgrounds to compete and succeed in a global society.

Goals related to the EOP Mission

Recruitment - the goal is to identify promising students (those who demonstrate the commitment, motivation, and potential for success) who, with the special/supplementary educational, counseling, and financial support provided by the Fund, demonstrate the commitment and potential to successfully complete undergraduate study leading to a baccalaureate degree; and for graduate and professional students, leading to an approved master's, doctoral or professional degree.

Improving Student Success - as measured by cohort retention and graduation rates, is the major task facing the EOP. It is our goal to provide on-going supportive academic: tutorial and structured study, motivational and career guidance to participants in order to maintain an 85% entering freshmen retention rate and an overall 65% retention rate over four years, and to graduate all retained students within five years.

Developing Partnerships - to develop early identification and intervention initiatives for populations and communities that current efforts are unable to serve. To establish closer working partnerships with established pre-collegiate programs, privately, state or federally funded such as College Bound, Gear-Up, Upward Bound and Talent Search.

Connecting Education with Careers - the EOP must educate students about the changing economy and workplace and provide students with a regional/global perspective as a component of career education. To provide internship opportunities both on-campus and external to students throughout their collegiate experience focusing on leadership, communications, interpersonal relations and teamwork skills.

Enhancing the Program's Image - it is incumbent to cast EOP in a favorable light and to operate in accordance with the highest levels of professionalism and responsiveness, maintaining high expectations and standards for both staff and students.

Within this context, our mission is clear. We must excel.

No, we do not want to catch up with anyone. What we want to do is to go forward all the time, night and day... - (Franz Fanon)

The Educational Opportunity Program at Seton Hall University is an "intrusive program, where success is the only option."